Violence directed at individual physicians
and clinics staff members, however, continues at unacceptably
high levels. Almost one-fifth (17.1%) of clinics reported death
threats in 1995. A similar proportion (20.3%) of clinics indicated
that the homes of clinic staff and physicians had been picketed.
One in ten (10.6%) clinics said staff and physicians had been
stalked by anti-abortion extremists. Of all the types of violence,
death threats had the smallest net decrease in 1995.

And these types of violence have taken
their toll on clinic staff. One in ten clinics still report that
staff members have quit as a result of anti-abortion violence.
The murders of clinic staff in Brookline Massachusetts by John
Salvi accounted for almost two-thirds of these resignations.

Decreases in clinic violence were tied
directly to law enforcement response. The survey found statistically
significant correlations between levels of violence and local,
state, and federal law enforcement response. The level of death
threats appeared to be particularly sensitive to law enforcement
activities. Death threats were the only type of violence in which
a statistically significant relationship was indicated with local,
state, and federal law enforcement activities.

Clinics consistently reported that
law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels had improved.
These improvements without question have helped diminish anti-abortion
violence overall. However, clinics also reported that implementation
of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act has not been
as vigorous as it could be. Although one in five clinics reported
FACE violations, very few of these reports resulted in criminal
or civil action. Enforcement of FACE and the increased involvement
of federal and state as well as local officials clearly is necessary
to end the serious violence which continues to plague a significant
proportion of clinics in the United States.